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Today's News

  • Tix on sale for Feb. 17 STARS Gala fundraiser

    The annual Levy County Schools Foundation STARS Gala event is scheduled for Saturday, February 17th at the Bronson Middle High School. The semiformal evening will start with mingling and hors d’oeuvres at 5 pm with dinner and program starting at 6 pm.

    The evening’s program will feature The Honorable Joseph Smith as guest speaker, entertainment by local students and alumni, door prizes, a silent auction and live auction for a chance to bid on a cruise vacation. The Foundation will recognize the school district’s Teacher of the Year, School Related Employee of the Year and Volunteer of the Year along with its Alumnus of the Year.

    Tickets for the event are $50.00 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are available at $250, $500, $1,000 and $2,000 levels. For information contact Donna Turner at lcsf@levyk12.org or call
    (352)493-6056 (Monday – Wednesday)

    All proceeds are used to support the Foundation and its scholarship and grants programs for Levy County schools and students.
     

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  • Bronson recognizes distinguished alumni

    The eight individuals that populate first-ever Bronson Distinguished Alumni list boast an impressive list of accomplishments.

    Many of them are households names around Levy County, and all of them have legacies that transcend the Town of Bronson. There were, after all, the first eight chosen from the more than 100 years of Bronson Middle High School’s history.

    But for the living members on the list, being name a distinguished alumnus of their alma mater in Bronson is at or near the top of their proudest distinctions. And in their submitted acceptance videos and messages, they stressed their educational foundation at Bronson Middle High School and the teachers and mentors that brought out their best.

    The honorees were celebrated at the first Bronson Distinguished Alumni Banquet Dec. 8 at Bronson Middle High School. It’s part of a new initiative from the School Board of Levy County, aimed at shining a light on distinguished alumni from the county.

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  • Expectations remain high inside CMHS softball

    The Chiefland softball team, which advanced to four straight state championship games and won three Class 1A state titles over the past four years, would seem to be facing a major transition heading into the upcoming season.

    Six seniors from last year’s squad have since graduated, including five that are playing college ball. That tally adds to the three or four starters that had already moved on after contributing to three state championship clubs.

    Moreover, Wayne Weatherford, who was at the helm for all four state finals games, as well as a final four appearance in 2007, has hung up his coach’s cap.

    But it’s not all new territory for the Lady Indians, who begin their official practices Jan. 22. Chiefland’s new head man, Jimmy Anderson, is a familiar face for CMHS softball. In coaching youth and travel ball, he came up through the ranks with the program’s group of core players from the last two seasons.

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  • Superintendent warns of amendment proposals threatening local control

    Levy County Superintendent of Schools Jeff Edison is weary of state amendment proposals that are in the pipeline that would limit local control for school boards, and he cautioned the Levy County Commission that those measures are part of an overall trend from state leadership that is likely to affect local government.

    Edison spoke to the Commission at its regular meeting Dec. 19, highlighting three proposals that are being considered by Florida’s Constitutional Revision Commission that would directly affect school boards around the state. The Commission convenes every 20 years to propose amendments to the state constitution, typically of a non-controversial nature. If they’re approved by the Commission, voters will see them on the ballot next November.

    Most of the 39 members of the Commission were appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, all Republicans.

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  • Norris signs with Bulls

    Brian Norris Jr. was worried he was missing his window to play college ball.

    The running back wasn’t hearing much buzz from colleges his junior season, and he knew the clock was ticking.

    It all changed for Norris this past summer. He attended a camp at the University of South Florida, expecting to catch attention on the defensive side of the ball.

    The experience led to a scholarship offer from the Bulls, where Norris could end up at running back.

    Norris has graduated from CMHS and will start attending USF in Tampa next semester.

    On Dec. 20, the new early signing period deadline, Norris sent off his letter of intent to Coach Charlie Strong and USF, and the occasion was celebrated in the Chiefland Middle High School auditorium with Norris’ family and current and former coaches, teammates, friends and supporters.

    “Last year, I kind of started getting down on myself,” Norris said. “It was getting close to my senior year, I had to make something happen. And then everything started falling into place.”

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  • Lady Indians cap exhaustive holiday slate with upset win

    The Chiefland girls’ basketball played 18 quarters of holiday tournament basketball on the road in three days, starting Dec. 19.

    After slogging through a pair of closely-fought overtime losses in Cedar Key, as well as a hard-fought win over Branford on the island, the Lady Indians capped their holiday slate with a one-off exhibition tilt against Providence School (Jacksonville) in the Trenton SAMCO Christmas Classic Dec. 21.

    They shook off the fatigue to score an impressive triumph over the Stallions, as Naja Martin (12 points), Colby Reed (11 points) and Sierra Norris (nine points) combined for 32 points to help CMHS fend off Providence for a 39-34 win.

    Chiefland connected on eight field goals in the second quarter to jump ahead 22-11 by the break. CMHS enjoyed a mix of buckets in the frame, including a mid-range pull-up basket and floater from Reed, multiple layups off drives from Norris, and a couple of put-backs from Martin. Courtney Hayes was also heavily involved as a key rebounder and defender for Chiefland, adding a steal and layup in the period.

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  • Lady Indians get workout in Cedar Key tournament

    By the end of its two-day, three-game run in the second Drummond Bank CKS Beach Ball Holiday Tournament Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, the Chiefland girls’ basketball squad was a tired bunch.

    The Lady Indians ended up playing 14 quarters in the two days, with two of their games going into overtime. Still, they ended up nearly capturing third place, and were on the cusp of competing in the championship game, if not for a tiebreaker technicality that left them playing in the third place consolation matchup.

    In that final game against Keystone Heights, a 33-30 overtime loss for Chiefland, the points were scarce in the early going, with CMHS leading just 4-2 at the end of the first quarter.

    As the buckets added up, the margin remained airtight, as the biggest lead by either team in the second half came on the heels of a dribble-drive by Sierra Norris that put the Lady Indians up 16-13.

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  • Strong start not enough for CMHS boys against Union County

    Chiefland boys’ basketball home matchup against Union County Dec. 19 was a game of ups and downs for the Indians.

    The squad looked as sharp as it has all year handling the Tiges’ press, but failed to convert enough to reap the rewards. Chiefland would see UCHS build up multiple 11 points leads, before chopping them down to more manageable five-point margins, eventually surrendering 63-52.

    Union County improved to 3-6 behind the win, a misleading record for the Tigers, as they share a district with Williston and 1A powerhouse Hawthorne, and have a couple of district losses by four and two points. It marked the third straight loss for the Indians, who later rebounded with a win over Cedar Key in Trenton’s Christmas tournament.

    Chiefland struggled at the foul line, at 13 for 29, and didn’t get any help from beyond the arc, where it went 1 for 9 as a team.

    Sophomore Jarrett Jerrels paced the Indians with 12 points, while fellow sophomore Jalen Rutledge joined him in double figures with 11 points. Junior Kirk Williams had a trio of buckets in the third quarter to help himself to eight points on the night.

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  • Bronson Elementary soars

    Bronson Elementary School initiated a data-driven approach six years ago to help the faculty identify the individual needs of each student. The plan included implementing a digital assessment and instruction program called i-Ready.

    Purchased through the schools’ Title 1 funds, principal Cheryl Beauchamp explained the program was initially purchased to help students with their math needs, but realizing how powerful it was, they also purchased the reading program. The diagnostic assessment has individualized lesson paths, based on the students performance on the diagnostic, so every student has an individual path for instruction in that program, explained reading coach Melinda Chemin.

    Bronson Elementary was the only school that had the i-Ready program for the first three years. Catching the Levy County School Board’s attention by continually climbing scores, the school system now uses district Title 1 funds to purchase the program for the entire county.

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  • Holiday scams are aplenty

    Your telephone rings, depending on your set up, you most likely have caller ID. All cell phones do, and newer home phones now carry the caller ID feature. Unfortunately, if you have an older land line, you may not be able to see who's calling you. In the past, the caller ID feature was the way to know who was on the other end of the line. Oh, how things have changed, and not in a good way. The call coming in may show you a call coming from within your area code, even a number from the next town over, so you answer the call. The call and caller as it turns out are from outside the country. How can this be you ask? It's called spoofing, and it's legal.

    Spoofing is the process of changing the caller ID to any number other than the calling number. As the number changes, so does the readout on the caller ID from where the caller is calling from. Anti-spoofing bills have been introduced in Congress, H.R. 2669 (114th): Anti-Spoofing Act of 2016, and was even passed through the House of Representatives last year - but was never passed by the Senate.

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